Narrow Canals again.

After several weeks on broad canals and rivers the Trent and Mersey seems very narrow. When the canals were built with locks that were only seven feet wide the canal builders didn't see much point in making the canals any wider than was necessary to allow two seven foot boats to pass each other. The bridges are designed to allow a seven foot wide boat to pass through, so it all feels a bit narrow.

We passed through three tunnels today, the first, longest one was reasonably straight, the second, shortest one had a bit of a kink in it and the third looks like it was dug by an enibriated worm. My theory is that the longest was dug first and that by the time they got to the third the engineer said to the navies "OK lads, you know what you are doing, I'll leave you to get on with it!". Kathy's theory is that they started on the beer and whiskey supplies in celebration after completing the first and carried on drinking until the had dug the third!

Anyway, we are now moored up by the Anderton Boat Lift, this wonderful bit of engineering takes boats from the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver, a distance of fifty feet. We aren't planning to go onto the River Weaver but Kathy and Chris are so we will part company for a few days. I didn't manage to get any photos of the lift tonight because I would have been taking them into the sun, yes sun! I'll try for some before we leave in the morning.

Today's journey 5.6 miles, 1 lock and 3 tunnels.

So far we have travelled 465.8 miles, 447 locks, 53 swing bridges, 4 lift bridges and 14 tunnels.